1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improvement in a continuous sterilizer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One conventional sterilizing system has right and left transfer chains circulated in a high-pressure sterilizer, and transfer containers supported between the transfer chains and housing therein materials being treated, the materials being thus transferred and sterilized continuously. In this sterilizing system, it is necessary that covers of the transfer containers are opened and closed every time materials are inserted thereinto and withdrawn therefrom. Namely, the operations for inserting materials into, and withdrawing materials from, the transfer containers are very time-consuming. Moreover, insufficiently protected materials, such as materials packed in inadequate bags, are damaged during the material insertion and withdrawal operations, and smaller materials can move in the containers while they are being transferred, and can be damaged in this way also.
Another sterilizing system, in which vessels containing the materials being treated are withdrawably housed in transfer containers so that the materials are sterilized as they are transferred, is known from Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2669/1982. In this system, the transfer containers are first separated from a sterilizer so that the vessels containing the materials being treated can be housed therein, and the transfer containers are then returned to the sterilizer. Therefore, the structure of this system is very complicated, and the operation thereof is time-consuming.
Furthermore, when the materials being treated are placed in a vessel, they are in close contact with the inner surface of the latter, so that the hot water or cooling water is not spread uniformly and speedily over each part of the materials. This causes a reduction in the thermal sterilizing and cooling efficiencies, and the materials are left in an unevenly heat-treated state. When materials inserted in a certain type of pouch (bag or dish), are sterilized, burns are left on the portion of the pouch which touchs the inner surface of the inner vessel in which the pouch is housed.